About the Blogger

Blog posts by Very Rev. Thomas A. Baima

From June 22 to 27, Catholics and their Buddhist counterparts from five archdioceses across the United States met in Castel Gandolfo, near the papal residence there. On one of the days, they travelled to Vatican City for an hour-long private meeting with Pope Francis, where he spoke to them about his hopes for the new project.

In a span of two weeks, the Archdiocese of Chicago will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Orders five times. This past Saturday, in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Mundelein Seminary, sixteen men were ordained to the transitional diaconate, along with one married man for the permanent diaconate. Next Saturday, twelve transitional deacons will be ordained priests at Holy Name Cathedral. The following day, Sunday, the Cathedral will again host the ordination of seven men from the English-speaking deacon formation program. One week later, at Saint Michael Church in Orland Park, nine candidates from the Spanish-speaking deacon formation program will receive Holy Orders. And on May 27th, three deacons will be ordained priests for service with the Canons of Saint John Cantius.

On Monday, March 31st, the Archdiocese of Chicago and our four partner organizations in the Jewish community will host the 2014 Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture at Temple Sholom in Chicago. The topic is timely as the Church celebrates the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. “What Changed at Vatican II: Past, Present and Future Reflections on Catholic-Jewish Relations.”

“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.” With these words, Pope Francis opened his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium. Since the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church elected him Bishop of Rome and Pope of the Catholic Church, Francis has expressed himself with a simple directness that calls all Christians back to the essential core of the Lord Jesus’ teaching.